HIGH POINT - For Intensive Probation/Parole Officer
Robert Martin, his days on the job are never the same. He's one of 363 intensive
officers who collectively supervise about 8,500 high-risk offenders living in
communities across the state.

On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Martin starts his day in
his office with a visit from Anthony, a probationer facing six years supervision
for an assault conviction - he knocked a man's eye out in a bar fight. Martin
admits it's the first office visit he's had in more than a month -- he usually
meets his probationers at their homes or work places.

Martin talks with Anthony about his job, his girlfriend,
and his restitution payments. He also gives Anthony the number of a local family
service counselor who can talk with him about some problems at home. Martin
makes notes on everything they discuss and administers a drug test before
Anthony leaves. "I'll see you sometime tomorrow," he says.

A few minutes later Martin is out the door and on
the way to visit another probationer at work. Fareed is serving his probation
time for several worthless check convictions. He works at a local trucking
terminal, loading furniture shipments onto trailers. Martin catches him during a
break, so he doesn't pull him away from his work. He says Fareed is a model
probationer who does a good job for his employer, is always home before his
curfew and causes no trouble.

Robert Martin, Intensive
Probation/Parole officer, knocks on a door for a curfew check.

A short while later, Martin leaves the truck
terminal and heads downtown to the High Point police station for a meeting
with the Criminal Investigation Division. High Point's probation/parole
officers meet regularly with city police investigators to share
information on crimes happening around the city. It's not unusual for
probation officers to have a piece of information that helps police crack
a case, or for police investigators to be able to help the
probation/parole officers locate absconders. Probation officers even carry
police radios to communicate with the High Point officers. "It's the
most valuable tool I have -- even more valuable than what I carry on my
side," said Martin, touching the pistol in the holster on his belt.

Martin carries a caseload of about 34
probationers, most of them violent offenders like Anthony who have been
called before High Point's Violent Crimes Task Force. Every other month,
some of the city's worst violent crime offenders, many of them
probationers, are brought into a meeting at the police station and warned
about the tough consequences for violent crime and drug activity in High
Point.

Fifteen offenders have shown up for tonight's meeting.
After listening to the representatives from federal, state and local law
agencies, they are introduced to representatives from a host of community
agencies with programs that can help them turn their lives around. The program
has proven successful at reducing violent crime in High Point and Police Chief
Louis Quijas says the probation/parole officers play one of the most important
roles.

By 8:15 p.m, Martin is back in the car, ready to start the
night's curfew checks. The first stop is at the home of a probationer named
Scooby who has just returned from IMPACT boot camp. Martin finds him in the
living room watching TV with his mother. He chats with the family for a few
minutes and reminds Scooby that he might come by tomorrow with his drug test.

At 8:30 Martin pulls up at the home
of Tracy, who's on probation after a cocaine possession offense. He's at
home as usual, tending to his pets - a giant python and two smaller
snakes in a large habitat in his living room.

Fifteen minutes later, Martin raps on the door at
Leroy's home, who was just paroled from Central Prison a few weeks
earlier.. Leroy is making dinner in the kitchen, but stops to talk for a
few minutes, before Martin heads back out the door. "It's a good
night so far," Martin says as he starts the car again.
"Everyone's in before curfew."

A few blocks away at 9:05 Martin checks in on
Henry, a convicted auto thief, who is rousted from his bed to answer the
door. They talk for a few moments before Henry heads back to bed and
Martin hits the road again. He checks on Tom at his home, an offender at
the women's shelter and Robert, who missed his curfew but called Martin
a few hours earlier to tell him he was having car trouble. Robert is at
home now and waves from the balcony. "See you tomorrow," he
yells down.

Martin talks with Leroy, one of his
probationers, during a curfew check.

The night's last stop is at a group home only a few blocks
from his office to see Jamie and Bruce. Jamie tells Martin he'll be moving into
a new room in the house, and Bruce updates him on his plan to fulfill his
community service requirement.

It's almost 10 p.m. when Martin pulls back into the
parking lot outside his office. It's been a long night, but he'll be back to do
it again tomorrow. "Some days you wonder if you're getting through to
them," he says. "But I do think what we're doing here in High Point is
making a big difference."